Punters in Australia set to profit from attack on Lankan team

Melbourne, Mar 4 (ANI): Punters in Australia look set to profit from the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore after opportunistically betting almost 20,000 dollars on their Test match against Pakistan being declared a draw.

Amid initial confusion over the shootings, TAB Sportsbet reported a rash of bets from Tasmania and the ACT as news began to filter through, the Daily Telegraph reported.

With almost no interest in the game from Australian punters until Tuesday afternoon, the market was suspended after the betting surge sparked internal alarms at TAB, but only once several four-figure bets had been laid.

Last night ICC spokesman James Fitzgerald said he thought the game would be declared "abandoned as a draw," meaning the TAB would have to pay out.

TAB media manager Glenn Munsie said the body would wait for official clarification of the result but confirmed it would pay out if the ICC opted to call the result a draw.

Munsie said bets were taken of 8300 dollars at 1.30 dollars, and 8900 dollars and 2000 dollars at 1.28 dollars. (ANI)